


The Pet

by ConsumingRomance (CameoAmalthea)



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Monster - Freeform, Plants, Vore, alien - Freeform, non human
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 16:30:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16520030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameoAmalthea/pseuds/ConsumingRomance
Summary: Jake always wanted a pet. He imagined having a dog and even picked out a name: Toby. Well...his new pet Toby isn't a dog...and Jake is pretty sure Toby isn't even from this planet. Also Toby eats people. And his species might be planing to take over the world...A story of a boy and his pet alien, or is it an alien and his pet boy.





	The Pet

_Date: 7/24/11_  
  
Right, so I'm going to tell you about my pet plant. Yes, I know it's lame to call a plant a pet. But if people can have pet rocks, I can have a pet plant. And this thing isn't like a normal plant anyway.

The first thing you should know is I'm not a scientist or a botanist, or even a florist or amateur gardner. So I really don't know anything about this and I'm probably not doing this whole write-up thing correctly. All the same I've been taking notes on this thing and I'm going to type them all up and save them as a document which I will update as I learn more.  
  
Ok, this isn't about me, but I guess in case this ever ends up famous or something I should put my name is Jacob Maurus, I go by Jake. I'm 18 years old and currently renting a house on the outskirts of the town where I'm starting college in the fall. (Should I give the town name? It seems the sort of thing that would be like, blocked out by the FBI so should I bother to write it?)  
  
Anyway, that doesn't matter. That's not the point. The point a few months back I discovered a creature in old greenhouse behind the place I'm renting. Well I don't know if creature is the right word, it's like a plant, giant plant. I've named it Toby and I've been taking care of it. Well I tend to call him Toby. I always wanted a dog so I could say "good boy" not sure if it really has a gender.   
  
Right so the plant.   
  
Physical Description:  
  
It was much smaller when I first found it, but it grows fast. But I think it's full grown now, hopefully, or it'll get to big for the green house.   
  
**Flower:**  
  
In the center of the plant there is a flower, or what looks to be a flower. It could be another mouth for all I know (it's carnivorous, more on that later). The flower looks somewhat like a closed lily or lotus, or a lily within an orchid. Something like that? Anyway, lots of pedals. The outside is sort of a magenta color, like a warm pink, the the inner flower is like a soft orange (I'm not color person either, so yeah sorry if I'm not giving the exact shade)  
  
When the blossom is open the inside looks a bit like some sort of orchid maybe? But it's like a mouth. I really haven't gotten a good look because by the time the bud opened the flower was like twice as big as I am. So I'd have to get a ladder or something to get a close look, but I don't really want to get to close. I wouldn't want to fall in, in case it is a mouth.   
  
Although I do think it's a flower, it smells like one. You'd think a carnivorous plant would like small bad, but it doesn't, it smells...wonderful. Can't really describe it because nothing's really like it. Sweet but mild, like honey suckle or orange blossoms but not really.  
  
I don't think it would use scent to lure prey anyway. It doesn't need to lure, I'll get to that next.   
  
**Vines and Leaves:**  
  
Around the flower, spreading out in all directions are vines. They've completely taken over the green house. The things are everywhere. And these aren't normal vines, they can move and grab things. Seriously, working together it's like a bunch of tentacles. They're part of the reason it doesn't need to lure prey.   
  
A bird flew into the green house once, the vines shot out and grabbed it. They brought it down still flapping like crazy to one of the mouths. Right I should get to those.  
  
Some of the vines end in what I can only assume are specialized leaves, like with venus flytraps. They look green buds but they open into mouths. they aren't flat like a venus flytrap but look, well almost like the thing from Little Shop of Horrors, but less like a water melon with lips. Each head/leaf is on the end of a vine and they can strike forward like a snake. Actually, a snake is a good description. Like a round headed eyeless snake, each mouth lined with green tooth like thorns. The heads are quite mobile. Like when I bring them food they've taken it right out of my hand from across the room.  
  
I've never been bitten though.  
  
**Feeding:**  
  
I've been giving them live food I purchase from a local reptile store. The people at the store think I've collect reptiles or something, all the food I've been getting. At first I tried feeding it dead things, but it didn't take it so I switched to live. At first it was mice, then small rats, but then I had to move up to the biggest rats they've got and a lot of them. I might have to start breeding rabbits or something.   
  
The heads were at first about the size of a cat's head. They grew to about the size of a large dog, and now are about the size of a dragon. As in the heads are around half as big as I am.   
  
Now you might think I'd be a bit nervous going near these things, but Toby is actually tame and quite affectionate. When they were smaller the heads would nuzzle against me like kittens, or try to lick my face like puppies (they have this tongue things too. A forked tongue thing. Maybe meant to be used a lure if they ever have to lure prey?).  
  
Once the vines grabbed me and pulled me down near the base of the plant. I was really scared for a second there, but the heads were just really affectionate. They seem to like it when I pet them. Even now I sit down in there and one of the heads will put itself on my lap and I pet it. The whole plant seems to make this sort of purring sound.  
  
I don't know how smart this thing is, but I think it knows I'm the one who looks after it. I don't think it would ever hurt me.  
  
In fact that's been practically tested. See I tried to prune it because the vines were going everywhere. Well I snipped one and the plant seemed to scream. I dropped the shears and the vines grabbed me. Then I was surrounded by the heads and they were all hissing at me.   
  
I was so afraid, I just started crying and saying I was sorry over and over again. Here's the weird part, it was like the plant understood me. It set me down and the heads started to nuzzle me.   
  
Oh, and the vine I cut. Ok this is cool.  
  
**Regeneration:**  
  
Once cut, half the vine slithered off out the door like a snake. Fast as anything, and disappeared. The part that I cut instantly grew back.   
  
This means two things. First, this thing would be very hard to kill. Two, pruning was going to be impossible which might be a problem.  
  
  
_UPDATE 9/29/11_  
  
**Molting:**  
  
Went to check on Toby this morning and all the vines had dropped off. The moment I opened the door they all slithered out the door. Now that was a weird feeling, having them all slither by me.   
  
Not sure why this happened, maybe because it's fall?  
  
_UPDATE: 10/13/11_  
  
Learned something new. A lot of things. Oh my God, I've been a bit off about things. I mean I knew this wasn't just some ordinary plant. That's why I never told anyone about it. Who knows what they'd do? So I always knew it might be some sort of alien or inter-dimensional being or something, but I never thought it was this intelligent. Yeah Toby is a lot smarter than I've been giving him credit for.  
  
Right though, first things first.  
  
**Roots:**  
  
The green house has no floor, just a dirt bottom. When I first found Toby he was growing out of the center of the floor, so his roots were underground. I know, well duh, but hang with me. I saw the roots today, and they aren't like anything anyone has ever seen.  
  
See one of the neighbors a little ways down keeps pit bulls. Mean things, as in trying to break through the fence every time anyone walks by, snarling and barking. Ok so somehow one of them got out. It charged me on my way home, and I took off running across this field towards my house.  
  
Then suddenly this thing just shot up out of the ground like a giant worm and swallowed the dog whole. It was just gone. Then it shot right back into the ground and the hole sort of churned and filled in with dirt.   
  
Ok I didn't get a good look at the time, but I think it must be sort of like those under water things, like sea anemones the way they can shoot out then retract. They were sort of a dark brown colored and almost looked like they  had hard scales. The head of the thing looked like an African plant called the Hydnora Africana (google it).  
  
I think these are the roots of the plant. My theory is that in addition to taking water and nutrients from the soil these roots extend for miles and can hunt, or possibly act as a line of defense for the plant by keeping threats away. I think they must be able to sense movement on the surface possibly through vibrations, or possibly heat sensing? I really don't know.   
  
All I know is that it saved me. And I was left wondering how it could have known. But I have my answer now.  
  
**Psychic Ability:**  
  
I stumbled back half dazed to the green house. The vines immediately seized me, but not roughly. It was like they were hugging me, petting me. The heads nuzzled against me. That's when I heard it, like a voice in my head.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
_UPDATE 10/28/11_  
  
I have a problem. A big problem and I don't know what to do. What I know for sure, Toby is a sentient creature. Sometimes his voice in my head is full sentences other times it's just feelings, like emotions. Warmth, affection, love...hunger. A lot of times, even after I've fed him it's been "hungry". Not that he wants to eat me, but that he wants to eat, and clearly rats aren't big enough.  
  
I was looking into where I purchase livestock, like sheep or something to feed it. I have no idea how I planned to keep up with the price of this, but it doesn't matter now.  
  
I have much bigger problem.  
  
It's killed someone.  
  
It started with another dog problem. There's this old lady who lives next door, Mrs. Hayworth. She's a bit crazy, or was a bit crazy. Like had delusions everyone was somehow out to get her, everything was a slight. The kind of person who beats kids for stepping on her lawn. Well she had this dog, you see. Little yappy terrier thing. Well it got loose and wandered back by the green house.  
  
You can guess what happened. I just heard it barking like crazy, then by the time I got out there it was already in one of the mouths.   
  
Guess Toby got a taste for dogs.   
  
Now here's where things went wrong. The old lady started suspecting someone did something to her dog. She started accusing people, me included. Well she went in the back yard looking for evidence or something. Then I heard the screaming.  
  
I wasn't too late this time, but the vines grabbed me and held me back. All I could do was watch as one of the mouths gulped her down. Her body disappeared down it's mouth and down the vines as though they were throats.  
  
The vines didn't let me go until it was done.   
  
I started screaming at Toby. What have you done? You just ate a person!  
  
Then I got his reply, which I can only really translate into  
  
"Yum"  
  
This is not good. He's eaten a person. He may a taste for more. I don't think he'd hurt me. I mean I hope not. If he wanted to he's had more than enough of a chance, but the problem is he might hurt other people. I can't keep him if he's dangerous.  
  
But what do I do? If I tell someone will I be arrested. I mean, I don't even know if they have laws that cover this. Illegal possession of exotic, possibly extraterrestrial, plant life? Raising dangerous plant life. Accessory to murder? Well not murder, it's an accident. I mean, it didn't know any better. Except it should. It's smart.  
  
But what do I do. If I call someone about it they'll take Toby away and they'll probably dissect him while he's alive or something or due experiments on him. I don't want that to happen! Yeah, what he did was wrong, but he's been my pet for months. More than a pet, almost like a friend. I just...I don't what to do.  
  
But he's dangerous, so maybe the only thing to do is kill him. Better that than him winding up in some lab. But how do I even kill him? He regenerates. Maybe fire?  
  
_UPDATE_  
  
Date doesn't matter. I don't even know if anyone will ever read this. I tried reason with Toby. If I couldn't I was gonna douse the green house in gasoline and light it. Yeah, that could have probably gotten me arrested for arson or something, but I never claimed to be that smart.  
  
Right now, that's not an option anymore. Right now, I'm inside the plant. He swallowed me, backpack and all which is why I still have my lap top. I'm currently using it for light, but writing this is helping me to keep from panicking.  
  
So here's how it happened. I went in there and told him he couldn't kill people.  
  
"Are you going to stop me?" he asked me. Then before I could reply I was in his vines.  
  
"Toby? What are you doing? Put me down!" He didn't. I guess I outlived my usefulness. He didn't need the food I brought anymore, he could hunt on his own and I made a better meal than those rats.   
  
Except, he didn't bring me to the leaves, but to the flower. It was mouth after all. I guess it's for swallowing prey too large for the leaves or roots. Toby did have some trouble getting Mrs. Hayworth down, like a snake eating something too big for it's head. Well the flower was plenty big enough to get me down.  
  
I saw it below me, inside there is a inner flower which looks like a mouth. The vines dropped me and rolled right down into it's maw. Then it started to swallow. I guess a large portion of the plant is underground, because it gulped me down a good ways until I feel into this chamber.  
  
I guess you could call this the plant's stomach? Do plants have stomachs? Well this thing isn't exactly ordinary. So maybe this is the plant's stomach and everything it swallows winds up here for digestion.   
  
Well I haven't been digested yet. Nothing burns and I can breathe. It's actually not bad in here. The bottom is soft and squishy, almost flesh like, but like petals. The whole place smells like the flower. The chamber I'm in is large and round, at the top I can see where I fell down.  The flower has closed, so it's dark and I think even if I tried to climb out I'd be trapped.  
  
I guess I deserve this for taking care of the thing when I didn't know what it was. I should have known it could have become dangerous.  
  
_UPDATE_  
  
Still alive, but the world may be in worse shape than I am. Every one of those vines that dropped off will grow into another plant, and it will grow and drop and spread. They have a hive mind, all of them psychically linked. They will spread, and they will consume. Then every bit that's broken or cut will become a whole new plant. Oh and they do burn some, most of the plant is underground, and the roots will fight back. It's also possible for the roots to burrow away and grow back somewhere else. This thing is like kudzu, introduced to this environment it will spread and is damn hard to stop.   
  
How do I know all this? It told me, he told me. Toby. We had a long conversation. I'll do my best to transcribe it. Might as well do something. I'm going to be in here for a while.  
  
I was curled up in the base of the chamber, crying in the light of my lap top. That's when I heard his voice in my head, almost soothing.  
  
"Please don't cry, Jake," he said, "I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe here. I just can't let you try to hurt me. I'll let you out once you calm down."  
  
"You're not going to try to hurt me?" I asked. "You ate me!"  
  
"No, this part of me isn't for feeding, it's for reproduction. On my world, pollinators come inside and I trap them until they are coated in pollen. However, as I am the only one here at the moment, so there's no need for pollen yet, so I'll just use this place to hold you."  
  
"Yet? Is there going to be more of you?" I asked. Was this like a full scale invasion. That's when he explained things. How the plant would spread, each growing it's own flower. These could cross pollinate with each other and then the plant would release thousands of seeds to the wind. As if spreading through regeneration wasn't bad enough!  
  
"And you're going to keep eating people?" I asked. "It isn't right!"  
  
"I won't eat you," said Toby. "You're my pet. I will spread and my kind will become the new dominate species on this earth. Your kind will become as food or slaves, but I'll keep you safe and all of my kind will know you. You looked after me, now I will look after you. Please understand, I do care for you Jake."   
  
So I'm a prisoner. It says it'll let me out to eat and use the bathroom, but it says it wants me to stay close. Likes having me in here. If I try to run it would know, it's physic right? And I don't know if it will let me go. I'd rather not be eaten by those roots things and I know if I could outrun them. Besides, it probably even let me out of this flower until it's sure I'm not thinking of trying anything.  
  
What could I try anyway? It's too late. The invasion's begun and my only chance at surviving is as Toby's pet human.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this years ago and posted it Deviant Art for a "design a plant monster" contest. I was the only non-drawing entry (I can't draw), and a dry description of a plant monster would be boring so I structured this story around a human discovering and describing the monster's anatomy. 
> 
> I realized I'd never posted it here. So here you go AO3.


End file.
